Merchandise trade (% of GDP) in Yemen
Yemen: Merchandise trade (% of GDP) was 24.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise trade in Yemen, 1990–2025
Source: World Trade Organization (WTO). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise trade in Yemen is 24.7%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 47.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise trade in Yemen peaked at 72.6% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 10.8%, in 1994.
That places Yemen 188th out of 204 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise trade (% of GDP) in Yemen, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 17.9% | — |
| 1991 | 18.3% | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 17.9% | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 15.8% | -11.6% |
| 1994 | 10.8% | -31.7% |
| 1995 | 27.6% | +155.6% |
| 1996 | 72.6% | +163.2% |
| 1997 | 66.1% | -8.9% |
| 1998 | 57.9% | -12.3% |
| 1999 | 58.2% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 66.2% | +13.6% |
| 2001 | 59.3% | -10.4% |
| 2002 | 58.5% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 62.9% | +7.5% |
| 2004 | 58.1% | -7.6% |
| 2005 | 65.7% | +13.0% |
| 2006 | 66.8% | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 68.4% | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 67.4% | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 61.5% | -8.8% |
| 2010 | 50.8% | -17.4% |
| 2011 | 51.9% | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 51.8% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 50.5% | -2.5% |
| 2014 | 33.4% | -33.7% |
| 2015 | 16.7% | -50.1% |
| 2016 | 11.1% | -33.6% |
| 2017 | 12.2% | +10.2% |
| 2018 | 16.7% | +36.6% |
| 2019 | 24.1% | +44.7% |
| 2020 | 24.9% | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 30.3% | +21.5% |
| 2022 | 25.9% | -14.4% |
| 2023 | 25.3% | -2.4% |
| 2024 | 24.4% | -3.5% |
| 2025 | 24.7% | +1.0% |
Yemen compared with similar countries
- Yemen's 24.7% is below the median for low income countries, which is 39.4%, 63% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Yemen's 24.7% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 70.6%, 35% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise trade (% of GDP) in Yemen changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +163.2% | 27.6% | 72.6% |
| 1995 | +155.6% | 10.8% | 27.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 36.3% | 10.8% | 72.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 63.5% | 58.1% | 68.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.9% | 11.1% | 51.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.9% | 24.4% | 30.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Yemen
More private sector data for Yemen
- Food imports 44.0% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 40.8% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 4.65 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 1.45 billion current US$ (2016)
- Food exports 63.4% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 5.9% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 196.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 308.66 million current US$ (2016)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 4.69 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0264 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2018)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise trade in Yemen?
- Merchandise trade in Yemen was 24.7% in 2025, according to World Trade Organization (WTO).
- What is the highest merchandise trade recorded in Yemen?
- The highest recorded value was 72.6% in 1996.
- What is the lowest merchandise trade recorded in Yemen?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.8% in 1994.
- How does Yemen rank for merchandise trade?
- Yemen ranks 188th out of 204 countries with data for 2025.
- Is merchandise trade rising or falling in Yemen?
- Over the last ten years it is up 47.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Yemen data come from?
- The figures come from World Trade Organization (WTO), published as part of Merchandise trade (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
General merchandise trade includes goods whose economic ownership is changed between a resident and a non-resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e. It is the total of merchandise exports plus merchandise imports. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.